What To Buy in Indonesia: Souvenirs, Gifts and Cheap Stuff
By
Tibs
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If you are visiting Indonesia as a tourist, you are probably looking for gifts or souvenirs to bring back home. You may also be wondering if there are some cheap items that are worth buying here more than in your home country. In this article, I will give you tips on what to buy, what NOT to buy, where to shop, and how to avoid scams.
Canggu and Seminyak are now the best areas for nightlife in Bali. Below are the best bars and nightclubs there to party during your holiday: Canggu Nightlife: Where to Party? Canggu is a growing area that covers basically the north of Jalan Batu Belig (Kerobokan/Seminyak) up to Jalan Pererenan. It is popular with young foreigners in their early 20s to mid-thirties, including surfers, digital nomads, influencers, gap-year travelers, backpackers, and probably some rich kids with nothing else to do than partying. Clubs, bars, cafés, and restaurants, are spread out along the main streets, and more particularly Jalan Batu Bolong, Jalan Pantai Berawa, Jalan Semat, Jalan Subak Sari, or Jalan Nelayan. Generally speaking, the closer you go from the beach, the more fancy/trendy the venues are. The busiest party location in Canggu is certainly on Jalan Batu Bolong, near Old Man's. It can take some time to go from one street to the other as the roads are still tiny and in bad condition. Most p
Bintan nightlife is very limited. The island, located about 1 hour from Singapore, is not exactly popular with party-goers but with families, couples, or golfers. Most of the tourists stay in the north of the island, in an area called Lagoi Bay, in resorts that are isolated from one another. They are all several kilometers away from the two main cities in Bintan (Tanjung Pinang and Tanjung Uban). Many visitors will never leave their hotel as they will find everything they need there: Beach, pool, spa, restaurants. Some of the biggest resorts, such as the Club Med , may have a bar, but don't except anything happening there unless you are staying for New Year. If you are desperate for partying while in Bintan, there are a few options, though. All of them are located in the capital of Bintan, Tanjung Pinang. The city is not that small with over 200,000 inhabitants, but it isn't very developed yet. There aren't any modern malls, and not even a Starbucks yet as of today. Most r
The expat/foreign population in Jakarta is smaller than that of other Asian capitals, both because of government regulations making it harder to hire low-skilled foreigners, and because of the lack of attractiveness of the city. Tourists rarely visit Jakarta, and if they do, they usually only spend a few days here. The upside of this situation is that the expat community is compact, rather homogeneous, and friendly. Most of the foreigners in Jakarta come from a few industries or jobs such as IT, oil & gas, banking, NGOs, multinational companies, teaching, etc. Newcomers are generally welcome and they can quickly integrate to expat circles. Note: If you are single, you can also read Best dating sites in Indonesia . Best expat bars in Jakarta Below is a list of the best venues to socialize with expats or foreigners in Jakarta: Eastern Promise (Kemang) Also called EP, Eastern Promise is certainly the most famous expat bar in Jakarta. It has 4 distinct rooms: A small
Many tourists stay in Jakarta for only 1 night, usually before heading to Bali. If you are in the same situation, you might be wondering what are the best things to do in the city in 24 hours or less. To help you, I have written this one-day itinerary that covers the town's best attractions. It is a bit rushed but it is realistically doable in 24 hours. Of course, you can skip some of the steps to make your day more relaxed. Choosing the right hotel in Jakarta for a short trip A hotel near Plaza Indonesia would be perfect or, alternatively, near Sarinah . To reach the airport faster, you could also stay near Semanggi, Taman Anggrek or Pluit, but then you would be further away from the attractions I will recommend below. You should be aware that every Sunday is car-free day in Jakarta. This means that Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Thamrin will be closed to cars from 6 AM to 11 AM. Recommend Hotel Near Sarinah/Plaza Indonesia for a 24-Hour Stopover in Jakarta → 5-stars (more than 150$/
Karaoke and KTV bars in Jakarta are used for a multitude of purposes. Singing is one of them, but it is definitely not the only reason. Commonly, they are used for prostitution, drugs, private parties, striptease and sometimes orgies. As a foreigner (especially a Westerner), it took me several years to understand what was truly going on behind those doors. It is only after discussing with girls, clients and club owners, that I finally realized what karaokes were for and why Indonesians are so crazy about them.